Before dawn on May 14, 2026, a Trans Aero MedEvac air ambulance flying from Roswell to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso struck a mountainside in the Capitan Mountains at 9,950 feet, about 230 feet below a summit radio facility. All four aboard died: pilots Keelan Clark and Ali Kawsara and flight nurses Jamie Novick and Sarah Clark. The crash started a wildfire that burned more than 48 square miles over several weeks.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, released in June, found that the plane’s GPS had failed because the military was jamming the signal across the area. Pilots had been warned in advance through a Notice to Airmen, and three other aircraft nearby reported GPS problems around the same time.

When the medevac crew reported trouble, a controller gave them headings for an instrument approach and contacted the military, which shut the jammers off. Shortly before the crash, the crew said they had the airport in sight and would land visually. Controllers then approved the military resuming the jamming. The plane had descended to 9,400 feet, then climbed several hundred feet before hitting the mountain.

Reporting by Wired called it the first time GPS jamming is known to have contributed to a U.S. civilian crash. The jamming reportedly came from tests at White Sands Missile Range. New Mexico lawmakers have demanded answers. The NTSB hasn’t determined a cause; its final report is expected next year.